10.23.2014

It's the return of the Zoya Matte Velvet collection! These mattes all have a soft focus finish with a hint of shimmer. And they are SO pretty...perfect for the fall and winter seasons!

As with most matte polishes, no base or topcoat is needed. In fact, the application is much easier when the base coat is skipped. The wear time for matte formulas is not as long as your typical glossy finish either. But don't let that deter you! I have gathered some ways to help a matte polish last as well as application tips in a previous post you can view *here*.

Now, on to the polish!

Loredana is a gunmetal shade. This is 3 coats.

Posh is a festive and chic red. This is 2 coats.

Harlow is a magenta purple. The shimmer in this is a bit more large than the others in this collection. This is 2 coats.

Savita is a bright, blue-based purple. This one is a favorite of mine! This is 2 coats.

Veruschka is an emerald green. This one really looks like velvet! This is 2 coats.

And finally, we have Dovima. A charcoal black. This is 2 coats. This is the only one that for me had a more satin like finish compared to the rest.

I have been a fan of Zoya since before these mattes were first discontinued, and always wished I could have gotten them. So if you are anything like me, don't hesitate on these!

The Matte Velvet collection is currently available at Zoya.com for $9.

10.15.2014

If you are looking for a super fun, well rounded monthly subscription box, check out the Must Have box from PopSugar! Here is what the October box contained:

Pumpkin Spice maltballs from Dean and Deluca. I love the pumpkin craze that the fall season brings on...so I was super excited to try these. They are yummy and rich so I don't feel the need to eat the whole bag at once. ;)

Thesewater decals from Nailed Kit are right up my alley! I LOVE using water decals. These ones are especially cute for Halloween. My only complaint is that they look like they were meant for an 8 year old's nails because even the biggest full nail design wouldn't fully cover most of my nails. There also aren't enough of one image to use on both hands. It's probably the nail enthusiast in me that is making me more picky on this one. But I will definitely still mix and match these for a cute mani.

Chalkboard anything is all the rage right now...so this soy based candle in a chalkboard ceramic container from Mine is right on trend. I took it a step further and added a monogram, which I am also seeing everywhere.

Butter London is a makeup line I have been wanting to try more of. I was excited to see this Wink Eye pencil in Earl Gray in this month's box. I made a point to keep the swatch on my hand to see how long it would last and I had to take it off with a remover wipe at the end of the day. Impressed!

I am not one for plain, boring socks and I love these cute leopard ones from Happy Socks.

This fresh, luxuriously scented soap from K. Hall Designs is quite heavy. It will definitely last a while and I can't wait to see how moisturizing it is.

The last item is a magnetic glass picture frame from Isaac Jacobs. I got my daughter's preschool fall photo just in time! ;)

There are also a few offers with coupon codes included in the October box.

What do you think about the contents of this PopSugar box?

If you are interested, here is a great offer for you! Get $10 off a 3 month Must Have subscription with this code: OCT14SELECT. It expires on November 2, 2014. Click *here* to get started!

POPSUGAR provided me with a complimentary POPSUGAR Must Have box. The opinions I have shared about the box are my own and POPSUGAR did not tell me what to say or how to say it.

10.07.2014

It may seem a little out of place, but I have seen in multiple fashion magazines that pastel clothes and makeup are on trend for fall! So, when Jordana released a collection of pastels recently, I wasn't too thrown off! haha Instead of the traditional swatches, I decided this collection was begging to be used for nail art! I used all 6 shades for this look.

I used Whimsical White for the base. I used nail vinyls from Neverland Lacquers to section off my nails. Pastels from thumb to pinky: Sunsational, Pink Petunia, Baby Blue, Lively Lilac, and Merry Mint.

I then added the cutest water decals along the border of the two colors. I love water decals so much! You get such a detailed effect with minimal effort. So many people asked me if this mani was Jamberry nail wraps. haha

You can find this pastel collection at jordanacosmetics.com. Great formula on all of these polishes!

*Here* is a link to Born Pretty's water decals, where mine are from. I don't see the this exact design available anymore but there are others similar. Use code AMG10 to get 10% off.

10.04.2014

Zoya has released a small collection of a new breed of their gorgeous Pixie Dust line called Ultra Pixie Dust. These have larger glitter pieces and have a chunkier texture than the original Pixie Dusts. To me, these seem too have a more matte finish as well. Let's take a look!

I love these next generation Pixie Dusts. They look like jewelry for your nails!

There's a few tips for applying these to get the intended finish. These come straight from Zoya.

For best results: Prep nail with Zoya Remove Nail Polish Remover and Prep. Apply 1-3 (for full coverage) thin coats of Zoya PixieDust polish. Allow product to dry completely between each coat for full effect. Do not use a base coat or top coat.

If polish base does not dry down to a matte finish this may be due to not enough wait time between coats or because the color was not applied to a perfectly clean surface that is free of base coat (note: some basecoats may prevent the color from drying properly). This YouTube video is another source to get help with application:http://youtu.be/Sm5ZTEtYZmI.